Most lost motorists blame GPS units - study

THEY are designed to help drivers find their way, but two thirds of motorists say their GPS is to blame for wrong turns.

A study commissioned by SGIC, released today, found 66 per cent of South Australians behind the wheel believe their car navigation system is responsible for getting them lost.

Almost half said they did not trust the technology.

But Australian Driving Institute director Cameron Wearing said impatient drivers were usually at fault when it came to unplanned detours.

"People are generally rushing, nine times out of 10 they're trying to squeeze too much into that extra minute," he said.

"The attitude that it's not my fault, and that comes with crashes and speeding, is commonplace on the road.

"One bloke I came across looks at the map first to get a vague idea where he's going then uses the GPS as a bit like confirmation, it might seem a bit over the top, but doing that bit more can make a difference."